Trooper stumbles onto rental housing scam in Elko

ELKO, Nev. (AP) — Law officers in northeast Nevada are warning residents about a potential rental housing scam on the Internet.

Nevada Highway Patrol Trooper Jim Stewart says a fellow trooper stumbled onto the scheme responding to an ad on Craigslist for a home renting for a reasonable $600 per month.

But when the trooper arrived at the home, he found a "For Sale" sign and a homeowner who had no idea the home had been listed on the website.

Stewart says another potential renter who saw the ad also showed up while they were talking in front of the house. He says the ad had requested people to send a down payment and personal information to the lister.

Stewart says the trooper turned the matter over to the Elko Police Department for investigation.